Taking COSATU Today Forward, 9 May 2024
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY #Back2Basics #ElijahBarayiBrigades #VoteANC #ClassStruggle “Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism” #Back2Basics #JoinCOSATUNow #ClassConsciousness |
Taking COSATU Today Forward
‘Whoever sides with the revolutionary people in deed as well as in word is a revolutionary in the full sense’-Maoo
Our side of the story
9 May 2024
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- MEDIA INVITATION: Health Minister, Mpumalanga Premier and Health MEC to address nurses at International Nurses Day national event in Siyabuswa on Friday, 10 May 2024.
- South Africa
- Minister Thulas Nxesi on building collapse in George
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Will Africa’s transition minerals create green jobs?
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
NUM plan for the mother of all protest march against Sibanye-Stillwater’ decision to retrench more than 4 000 workers
Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson, 08 May 2024
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is to embark on a mother of all protest march directed at gold and platinum producer Sibanye-Stillwater.
Recently, Sibanye-Stillwater issued a Section 189 retrenchment notice, notifying about its plans to retrench about 4 000 mineworkers. This is capitalist barbarism at its best.
Sibanye-Stillwater has been retrenching workers every year with the intention of cutting costs and making huge profits at the expense of mineworkers.
This is despite the fact that the gold price is doing very well and the company’s decision also come-out as we are about to enter into wage negotiations with the company.
The retrenchment of 3 107 mineworkers and about 915 contractors is a huge number. This is brutality at its best.
This evil and heartless decision will bring a bleak, dark and difficult future for our members and their dependents.
This company has been retrenching thousands of mine workers each year since it was founded way back in 2013. The only year that it did not retrench was the year 2021.
Sibanye-Stillwater has successfully destroyed such livelihoods under the watchful eyes of both the departments of Mineral Resources and energy and Employment and Labour as primary custodians of mining operations, and workers respectively.
It is recorded that for the past years Sibanye-Stillwater destroyed permanent jobs of many workers and destabilised livelihoods of many families. One mineworker is able to support more than 10 family members.
The NUM has noted with disgust the recent announcement by the company that there will be R140 million salary cut for its CEO. There are some of the tactics employed by the company to further confuse and fool workers. As the NUM, we are not buying into that.
The NUM will not allow Sibanye-Stillwater and its CEO Froneman to run away with murder and continue to exploit workers by using the minerals that directly belong to the people of South Africa.
We are therefore extending our invitation to everyone - workers irrespective of union or political affiliation, small businesses, all progressive stakeholders such as members of various communities, churches nongovernmental organisations to come in numbers to participate in the protest march.
The protest march is planned to take place as followed:
Date: 11 May 2024
Protest Assembly point: T-Cross N12 freeway, R58 offramp to Carletonville
Protest Destination point: Libanon Business Park in Westonaria
Time: 9 am
All members of the media are invited to cover and report about this mother of all protest march.
For more detailed information, please contact:
Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson, 083 809 3257
Luphert Chilwane, NUM Media Officer, 083 809 3255/ 073 354 6569
The National Union of Mineworkers
7 Rissik Street.
Cnr Frederick
Johannesburg
Tel: 011 377 2111
Cell: 083 809 3257
Minister Thulas Nxesi on building collapse in George
07 May 2024
The Minister of Employment and Labour, Mr TW Nxesi, is aware of the reports regarding the collapse of a multi-storey building under construction in Victoria Street in George, yesterday afternoon. The collapse of the building serves as a sobering reminder of the critical importance of prioritising safety in the workplace. With the loss of lives and the entrapment of individuals, this incident has sparked a call to action for organisations to reevaluate their health and safety protocols and practices.
The Department of Employment and Labour Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Inspectors are onsite, as they were dispatched yesterday when the incident came to the Department’s attention. The Department is receiving real time information on the ground from our Inspectors and the Inspector General. We are also aware that multiple Disaster Service personnel including SAPS Search and Rescue teams with sniffer dogs are involved in a rescue operation to retrieve the trapped construction workers. A number of construction crew on site at the time of the incident and deceased workers have been reported, but at this stage we await final confirmations.
Minister Nxesi conveys his heartfelt condolences to family and friends of the deceased construction workers involved in the incident and wishes for a speedy recovery of the survivors. No words can adequately express the sorrow felt for the lives lost and the anguish experienced by those awaiting news of their trapped loved ones. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.
The
Department will work through the teams on the ground and outlined protocols to communicate and update the public. In terms of our processes, we will await the official handing over of the site to the Department to enable us to proceed with investigations as
per Section 31 & 32 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). The handing over is normally preceded by the finalization of rescue and recovery interventions.
As we reflect on this tragic event, it is imperative to recommit ourselves to the principle that no job is worth risking the safety or lives of employees. Every effort must be made to prevent similar incidents in the future. Redoubling efforts to promote a
culture of safety, vigilance, and accountability within organizations is paramount.
It is a collective responsibility to honour the memory of those lost by ensuring that their lives were not lost in vain. Strengthening the commitment to health and safety is essential. Let us work together to prevent such tragedies from occurring again.
Media enquiries:
Sabelo
Mali
Cell: 082 729 5808
Email : Sabel...@labour.gov.za
Further enquiries:
Lumko
Mtimde, Special Advisor to the Minister
Cell: 066 587 4257
Email : lumko....@labour.gov.za
Issued by Department of Employment and Labour
International-Solidarity
Will Africa’s transition minerals create green jobs?
8 May, 2024
With abundant transition mineral resources in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) estimated at 30 per cent, by the International Energy Agency, what are the prospects for these minerals to create millions of the much-needed green jobs?
Experts say that with increasing demand for the critical minerals, there is potential for this demand to spur economic growth and development in SSA. This will be an opportunity for the countries, which are currently facing high levels of poverty, unemployment, and inequality to develop?
The critical minerals include copper, cobalt, lithium, manganese, nickel, platinum group metals, and rare earth elements, and are in high demand for use in the manufacturing of products that are required in the energy transition from electric car vehicles to solar panels and other components.
Researchers Thomas MacNamara and Siziba with support from La Trobe University and the IndustriALL regional office for SSA, went out to find some answers on how unions can influence debates and policy engagement on the Just Transition and on the job creation potential of the transition minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The four countries are major producers of the transition minerals with the DRC producing as much as 70 per cent of global cobalt while Zimbabwe has huge resources of lithium.
The researchers of the baseline report entitled Influencing a Just Transition in the mining sector in Sub-Saharan Africa say the green jobs must be assessed on quality, sustainability and appropriateness.
They argue further that, “Almost all sustainability advocates argue that the transition away from fossil fuels will generate more employment than unemployment. However, investigating their claims more thoroughly encourages that the jobs are quality (well-paid, unionized, and safe), sustainable (long-term employment) and appropriate (in areas where mining jobs are being lost and/or requiring similar qualifications).”
The researchers estimate that most of the jobs will be in the construction phase for instance during the installation of solar panels. They cite a Price Waterhouse Copper (2021) study, in South Africa, which estimated that while 800 000 jobs were created in the construction phase only 21 000 jobs were retained in the operation and maintenance phase. In Zimbabwe, about 7,000 jobs will be created on lithium mines but more jobs can be created through beneficiation of lithium instead of exporting raw lithium to China.
In the informal mining economy in the DRC, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, especially in artisanal and small-scale mining(ASM) millions of jobs can be created. In the DRC alone, the ASM economy has over two million workers but without formalization ASM activities fall short of the decent work agenda.
The research report, which analyses the diverse definitions of what is meant by a Just Transition, and the complexities of COP processes, gives examples of different models and best practices of the Just Transition in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Canada, India and Indonesia, Italy and other countries from which lessons can be drawn for Sub- Saharan Africa.
Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL director for mining said:
“This research report shows that trade unions should be cautiously optimistic about green jobs and continue to demand decent working conditions in the critical minerals sector. Mineworkers’ unions have consistently fought for better working conditions and living wages and should maintain their vigilance in defending workers’ rights and interests.”
Influencing a Just Transition in the mining sector in Sub-Saharan Africa is published on this link and complements other IndustriALL publications that include A Trade Union Guide of Practice for a Just Transition.
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Norman Mampane (Shopsteward Editor)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
110 Jorissen Cnr Simmonds Street, Braamfontein, 2017
P.O.Box 1019, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
Tel: +27 11 339-4911 Direct line: 010 219-1348